Abstract
Joe Wardwell has been inspired by two seemingly opposed sources; the Sublime Landscapes of the Hudson River Valley School which are imbued with a sense of national pride and Punk Rock lyrics that reflect the voices of dissent. Text is meticulously layered over the landscape. The language is subtle, camouflaged with abstract paint strokes and then applied over thoughtful painterly sunsets or hillsides. Wardwell’s work is prescient at this time when our country is embarking on a new era of politics and concern about national identity. These paintings were a part of the McIninch Art Gallery exhibition, “Soon I will be President” in Nov/Dec 2016